In recent years, states have required that vehicles carry a single license plate, while vehicles continue to be manufactured with license plate mounting areas, generally on vehicle bumpers, at both the front and the back of the vehicle. Thus, vehicles have a license plate mounting area available for the mounting of decorative plates having various indicia other than state license numbers. The available license plate mounting area is frequently used by the owner of the vehicle to display plates carrying such various indicia as names and logos of universities and high schools, lodges and fraternal organizations, slogans, cartoons and other alphanumeric and pictorial displays.